Castle of Illusions (Wicked Kingdoms Book 4)

by Graceley Knox

  "I have a multitude of younger siblings, Ever. I have no problem keeping multiple children safe and secure at once."

  "And what about teaching them things? Are you okay with that?"

  "Of course. I can school them until they are old enough to join regular classes here in the Goblin Kingdom."

  "I don't mean school things. I'm sure they'll pick up words and stuff. I mean teaching them magic and to defend themselves." I grab her resume off the table in front of me and scan it for the words I'm looking for. "It says on your resume you're quite gifted."

  "I am blessed with quite a few abilities that help me teach others, yes."

  "What about the length of time required?" Dare's voice booms out behind me, and I turn in my chair to see him entering the hall.

  "You'll have to excuse him. He shouts a lot. He's also the father."

  Siana steps forward, extending her hand to Dare and they clasp forearms as is the tradition between warriors. "I have no problem with the time frame."

  "Eighteen years is a long time, Siana. Does your mother know you are here?" Dare rests his hand on the back of my chair, his fingers brushing the top of my shoulder.

  "Wait." I hold up my hands. "You know her, Dare?"

  Is there anyone this goblin doesn't know?

  "Yes. Siana's mother was a nanny to both me and Dagan. Once she had raised us, she went back to her clan with her mate and this little rascal in tow. We've kept in touch over the years, and they're always welcome in our kingdom as they travel."

  Siana smiles at Dare, shaking her head at the same time. "It's been a long time. I'm no longer a child, Dare. And yes, my mother knows I'm here. They should be right behind me, actually. I rode ahead so I wouldn't miss the interview."

  "Excellent. I can't wait to catch up with everyone." Dare’s voice booms through the room. "Dagan! Dax! Get your asses in here! We're having company!"

  Eryn's eyes about bug out of her head, and I snicker. "How many are in your clan, Siana?" I ask.

  "We're about sixty right now. We have others helping relatives, so all in all, we total about one hundred plus."

  "And how long will you all be staying?" Eryn asks.

  "For as long as you'll have us. I thought it would be prudent to have as many extra guards here while the babies are born."

  I smile at her, rubbing my stomach. "I like the way you think. Finding people who are unable to be swayed has proved to be a challenge."

  "I figured it would be. With so much at stake, we can't be too careful."

  "When can you start?" I ask her, sure that she's the one we need. Call it mother’s intuition, instinct, or a gut feeling, I know it in my bones, she's meant to guard Ronan and Raley.

  "Right now." Siana rubs her hands together. "I'd love to see the nursery and lay down some protection runes if possible?"

  "Ha! You can see the nursery, although we'll see if Anarchy and Chaos have destroyed it or redecorated it since I left them in there."

  "Anarchy and Chaos?" Siana tilts her head.

  "They're foul little beasts." Dagan growls as he enters the hall, before hugging Siana tightly. "I've missed you, little hellion."

  "Don't listen to Dagan. They're my gargoyles. They're very excited for the arrival of Ronan and Raley." I frown at Dagan.

  "Siana! Still throwing sticks at unsuspecting boys?" Dax asks, as he embraces her.

  She swats at him. "Of course not. I've grown out of throwing things at people." She winks at me. "Unless they really deserve it."

  "I have a feeling you and I are going to get along famously." And she couldn't have come a moment too late either. I shift in my seat, uncomfortable.

  "Uh-oh. Might want to limit their time together, brother." Dax elbows Dare.

  "That would defeat the purpose of Siana helping us as our children grow up, doofus." Dare snorts.

  "Can you help me up, Dare?" I brace both hands on the arms of my chair and struggle to get my feet under me. At this point, they could be giant clown shoes for all I know. I haven't seen them in months. Although that's about to change and very soon.

  Dare helps me up, and I waddle forward to Siana, Dare's hand at my elbow, keeping me steady. I thrust out my hand for her to shake.

  "If you'll have us, Siana, we'd love to have you with us as we raise these tiny monsters."

  She grins and grips my forearm rather than shaking my hand. "It would be an honor, Ever." She drops one leg, kneeling in front of me, and presses her hand over her chest in a fist.

  "Excellent, because I think these two are about to make their entrance." As I say the words, my water breaks and chaos erupts in the hall.

  Chapter 2

  "Someone get Amren!"

  "Ever, can you walk?"

  "Don't ask her that, idiot. Pick her up and bring her to Amren."

  I take a deep breath, absorbing the energy around me. It's pure pandemonium, and I'm standing in the middle of it. I knew that this was going to be an intense situation, but all the shouting and pulling in different directions makes my head spin like a top.

  "Everyone, shut the fuck up." I don't shout the words, I speak them calmly, but you'd think that I'd screamed them at the top of my lungs as everything around me screeches to a halt.

  "Dare, I can walk. Thank you for asking. Kirin, please go get Amren, and let him know the time is now. Eryn, can you go get Arela please? Dax, can you make sure everyone is close by and safe please?"

  A chorus of affirmations ring out and everyone jumps back into action. Dare leads me back to our rooms, letting me set the pace, Siana following behind us.

  "Dagan?" I look around for him but don't see him. I wince as a contraction hits me. Fucking hells. It's worse than I could have ever imagined the pain to be. I don't know how women go through this all the time, but one thing’s for sure, they're all made of pure guts and grit.

  "I'm right here, Ever." He steps forward so I can see him.

  "Can you take Siana to ward the nursery, and then I'd like to make sure her family is all settled." I pause as another wave of discomfort flows through my entire body. "I don't know why, but I feel like something is going to happen. Something bad. We need to be prepared."

  "We have been planning for this. I will make sure everything is all set." Dagan steps forward and drops a kiss to my sweat-covered forehead. "Now, you only worry about bringing my niece and nephew into this world, happy and healthy."

  I blink back a tear from his uncharacteristic vulnerability and gentleness. "Yes yes, don't go all mushy on me now. I need you to chop off heads if necessary."

  Dagan smirks. "Yes, little general." He salutes me and then hustles Siana ahead of us at a pace faster than I can manage at the moment.

  "Dare, I'm scared." I huff the words out through a contraction as we make our way to our rooms, slower than a herd of selkies through an oil-slicked ocean.

  He grips my hand in his, and I meet his autumn-colored gaze with my azure blue and lilac-colored one. "Mo grá, you have nothing to fear. I am by your side. Amren will be with us, and our babes will be healthy."

  "What if I'm a horrible mom? I've already messed up so much with Arela. What the hell am I going to do with small screaming babies that can't tell me what they want?" Panic hits me, and I stop walking, frozen in fear. My legs are like tree trunks iced over and stuck to the ground.

  Dare takes both of my hands in his and stands in front of me. "Ever, look at me."

  I breath in and out, trying to stave off a panic attack on top of contractions. I barely survived Arela being taken and tortured. And then Doyle being comatose . . . if anything happens to these babies . . . I'll be the crazy bitch screaming from the ramparts as dragons rain fire down on the world around me.

  "Ever, love, look at me." He tips my chin up with his knuckle and the swirling reds and oranges of his eyes transfix me.

  "What if someone tries to hurt them, Dare? How will we keep them safe?" I grip my stomach as one of the twins kicks my liver.

  "We will never be able to c
ontrol everything. It's not possible."

  "Not helping, Dare." I growl the words at him.

  "Let me finish." He frames my face with his hands and leans in close. "We can't control everything, but we can damn well prepare for what's to come. We will love them fiercely and we will protect them ruthlessly. That is not a question. Do not doubt what we can do together, mo grá."

  I nod, absorbing his words. He's right. Ronan and Raley will never know what it's like to wonder if their parents wanted them. Or if we love them. I will smother them in love until they complain about it.

  "Is everything okay?" Arela asks, a few feet away.

  I glance over Dare's broad shoulder. "Yes, of course. Just having a moment." I hold out my hand for her, her fear coming at me in waves. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Uncomfortable, but fine."

  She looks to Dare and he winks at her. The tension leaves her petite frame and she places her hands on my belly. "Are you two ready to come out now? We're all excited to meet you."

  "Yeah, I'll be excited once this fucking agony leaves my body. Remind me again, what kind of drugs Amren's got for me in that room." I waddle my way toward what I hope is some sort of relief from the pressure on my lower back, my pace as quick as I can make it.

  "I do not have any drugs. I do have some tea, though." Amren smiles softly at me as he looks me over when I cross the threshold of my room.

  "I don't want any fucking tea. I want to break something." I gasp out the last of the words as another contraction rolls through me, and I brace myself against the bedpost.

  "I can see that we're going to have a colorful birth today," Amren hums.

  I growl at him like an injured elk. "That tea had better numb my lady parts, or I'm going to drown everyone in a tub of it."

  Eryn bustles in, Dagan and Siana on her heels. "Ah, I see Ever is as cheery as always."

  "Fuck off," I mumble through gritted teeth.

  "Would you like to sit or lie down?" Dare asks, his hand at my elbow.

  "No. I would like to stand here and drink some of this magical tea. And then have Amren do some druid shit and poof these monsters out of me before I break my teeth from clenching them so hard." I groan through another contraction and grip Dare's hand hard enough that I feel his bones shift under my fingers. He doesn't say a word as I mangle his hand, only rubs my back.

  "Don't stop rubbing my back. It feels good, okay?" I bark the question as more of a command, but he nods and continues the circular motions.

  "Your tea." Amren hands it to me and it smells like cocoa.

  "Chocolate?" I ask, perking up for a minute.

  "Yes, I added some chocolate so you'd like the taste." Amren smiles at me, then looks at the small crowd of people assembled at the doorway. "Okay, everyone who isn't essential to this birth, vacate the room, please. Birth is hard enough without an audience."

  Thank the gods Amren says it. Because I was about to threaten body parts if people didn't take the hint and let me shove two children through my body into this world in peace.

  "Siana. I want her in here with us, just in case." I look up at the centaur, meeting her warm, brown eyes. "If you wouldn't mind? It would make me feel better to know you're here to help and protect them while Dare's with me."

  "Of course." She jumps into action, grabbing blankets and doing what Amren says.

  "Eryn, Arela, you guys can stay if you want. Arela, can you check on Anarchy and Chaos? And make sure that all the gargoyles are ready to protect the grounds, and the babies are protected?"

  "Already done. Just like we planned." Arela grins. "Anarchy and Chaos are in the nursery, fluttering around. I've got Rebel and Frenzy in there with them to keep them calm."

  "Thank you." I cry out as a contraction sends agony rippling through me. "I need to sit. Fucking hells." I take Dare's hand as he leads me to a chair. "I will never let you do this to me again, goblin. Just so we're clear." I snarl the words at him.

  "I love you, too, Ever."

  "Don't you try to sweet talk me right now, you bastard." I gasp as my body contorts in pain. "But don't stop rubbing my back. Please."

  He does as I ask, talking to me in a soothing timbre. "Breath through the pain. We practiced this. You can do it."

  "It's like a form of torture that is unimaginable." I huff, grabbing a towel out of a bowl of water and wiping at my sweaty face. "Someone figure out how to inflict this pain on The Order. They'd leave us alone in a heartbeat." The thought of them feeling this pain brought me an ounce of happiness through the onslaught of discomfort labor provided me. Everyone has said that as soon as I hold my babies in my arms, the pain will be forgotten and I'll be in bliss. But if my lady bits are turned inside out like they feel like they are, I'm not so sure, I'll be totally blissful until I'm healed up and my little ones are safe and sound.

  "Don't worry about them right now, Ever." Amren hands me another cup of tea, and I gulp it down as quickly as I can. "Your contractions are getting closer together. I think your little ones are just as excited to meet you as you are them."

  "If one more person tells me to be excited about this painful process, I'm going to start swinging." I howl in pain and grip Dare's hand and the arm of the chair with the other. The wood creaks and groans under my grip. "Your fucking tea isn't working, Amren." I glare at him.

  "Perhaps you'd like to lie down?" he asks, ignoring my rude outburst.

  "No, I'd like to sit right here and brace myself for the next onslaught of misery." I'd learned to breathe through the pain during my training at MECA but that was nothing compared to this. It was like comparing someone slicing open your insides to a bloody paper cut.

  Eryn steps forward and takes the towel off the table, wiping at my forehead. "Remember how we talked about being nice to everyone who's helping you through this?" she asks softly.

  "Yeah, I do. And I give no fucks at the moment. When you have a child, let alone two at once in one day, I will remind you not to curse at everyone in the room."

  "Would it make you feel better if we left?" she asks snippily.

  I grab her hand. "No, please stay. I'm sorry I'm being a harpy. But it feels like my stomach is twisting itself into knots and then a redcap is dancing a merry jig on it, laughing in glee." I let go of Eryn's hand to grab the chair's arm again. This time the wood cracks under my grip as I curse. "Gods fucking dammit."

  "We're getting closer. I'd really prefer you're on the bed when the little ones come." Amren flutters around me like a mother hen and I laugh.

  "I don't think I can get up there. We're going to have to just figure it out. This is semi-comfortable for me right now." I breathe in short breaths, followed by rough exhalations as my stomach cramps. "Someone put a blanket under me. I don't want my children to be born on a rough floor." I snap the words, only half joking.

  Someone does as I ask, and Siana kneels at my side. "May I?" she asks, holding her hands over my large belly.

  "If it's going to help, do whatever you'd like." I pant out the words. "Dare, promise me that no matter what, we'll make sure our kids aren't little assholes, okay?"

  "We won't allow it, my love." He adds pressure to my lower back, and for a moment, the pain lessens and then I'm focused on not forgetting to breathe through the next contraction.

  Siana presses her hands to my belly, and warmth spreads through my midsection. "What kind of sorcery is this shit? Don't take your hands off me or I might murder Dare for doing this to me."

  I'm jumping between wanting to rip his head off, loving him so hard I can't see straight, and a whole slew of other emotions I've never experienced before now.

  "What exactly are you doing, Siana?" Amren asks, curious.

  "I'm speaking with the little ones. Letting them know it's time to come out now, and that their mommy and daddy are so excited to meet them."

  "You're talking to my infants . . . in my stomach?" I wipe at the sweat dripping down my face, staring down at her unbelieving.

  "Yes, it's one of those abilities I mentione
d. My mother did it with Dare and Dagan as well."

  I look up at Dare to confirm what she's saying, and he nods, smiling. "It's true. She would talk to us before we could even talk. I remember it being comforting."

  "So long as it's not hurting them, that's fine." I lean forward, gritting my teeth so hard, I swear I'm going to grind them into dust.

  "Ah, I believe Raley is ready to join us." Siana smiles and takes a blanket from Amren.

  "Yeah, well tell her to make it snappy. Mommy's ready to be done with this agony already."

  "She meant to say she's very excited to hold her," Dare adds and I growl at him.

  "No, I meant that she should move it the fuck along."

  The thought that I'll be holding my daughter in just a few moments or minutes sends a wave of awe and sheer disbelief through me. I'm not sure how this happened, or how I was so blessed to have not just one, but two children, but I know that no matter what I say, no matter what curses I'll fling at them when they're older and giving me grief, I will love them to the ends of the realms and back again.

  "Are you ready to push?" Siana asks and before I can answer her, my body does for me.

  I scream incoherently as every muscle in my body tenses and then my vision goes white. Dare talks to me as I bear down, no longer listening to anything other than what instinct tells me to do. Blistering torment assaults every nerve ending and a strong cry rings out.

  I can barely make out her reddish form before another wave of contractions hit me.

  "Dare, make sure she's okay."

  "Amren is checking her. I'm here with you, mo grá. I'm not leaving your side."

  I blink open my eyes and level him with a glare that could fell lesser men. "Go look at my baby and tell me she's okay or I will get up off this chair and wring your fucking neck!"

  "Ever! Language in front of Raley," Eryn chastises me. "I will check on her. Dare can stay with you, okay? Ronan isn't far behind his sister."

  Anxiety almost chokes the breath out of me while I wait for Eryn to tell me she's okay. Other than her first cry, she's been quiet.